#TwitterLanguage/Lingo

#TwitterChanges

From #Marsha Friedman:

3 New Twitter Changes and How They Affect You

About two months ago, our lead social media strategist started noticing interesting changes involving the Twitter accounts we manage for clients. Tools she and our team routinely used were suddenly disabled. Twitter's technical support, which hadn't been good, improved. So, when news broke on Tuesday that Twitter had formally taken steps toward going public back in mid-July, Jeni Hinojosa wasn't surprised. That was two months ago. "The changes are all obviously designed to make Twitter more appealing to investors when the initial public offering is finally made - probably by Thanksgiving," Jeni says.  "In some ways, they're also improving the experience for users. But in other ways, some users will be disappointed.'' Overall, Jeni says, Twitter will likely remain one of the most effective social media platforms for connecting with both individuals and large corporations. That's because it's less personal than, say, Facebook, and - this is the biggie - it's quick and easy to have a conversation with posts of 140 characters or less. What are some of the changes Jeni has seen on Twitter and how might they affect you? She shares three: No more "automatic follow-backs" means the size of your following will grow more slowly. Some applications, such as Hoot Suite and Manage Flitter, allowed Twitter users to set up their accounts to automatically become a follower of anyone who first followed them. That allowed audiences to quickly swell - but it also removed human oversight. The result: Some of your followers, and some accounts you followed, would be fake, inactive or otherwise non-genuine connections. "I believe Twitter's shutting down the ways huge audiences of fakes can grow so that they can be properly valued for the IPO," Jeni says. While that's generally good for users, one group who may be disappointed is authors trying to get literary agents or book deals with traditional publishers. "Agents and publishers want authors who have a strong base of potential fans, and one way to demonstrate that is to get big followings on social media," Jeni says. "Authors may be unhappy that their following grows more slowly, but it will be better for them in the long run - it's not hard to tell when someone has a mostly fake following."    Improved technical support - in some ways. Before the recent changes, if you ran into a problem with your Twitter account, you went to a "help" web page, filled out a form describing the problem, and submitted it. Then you had to closely watch your email for a confirmation and reply to the confirmation within 48 hours of receiving it in order for your "case" to move forward. "While that pesky process of watching for their email still exists, the 'help' page now offers troubleshooting steps so that you can try to fix the problem on your own," Jeni says. "So certain problems are easier to correct." The downside of the new troubleshooting measures? You're forced to click through multiple steps and take certain actions, which can be tedious, before Twitter agrees that you have a problem and allows you to send a request for support. The help page is support.twitter.com. More advertisements. As Facebook did when it went public, Twitter is now offering users the option to pay for their posts to achieve more visibility. So now, you may find a post from an account that you don't follow appearing at the top of your news feed. "Most recently, I've been getting posts about McDonald's new Mighty Wings," Jeni says. "It's mildly annoying if it's something you have no interest in, but it can also get confusing. You may see it and think, 'Did I follow McDonald's? I don't remember doing that,' and then you've got to check to see whether you did or not, since there are limits on the numbers of accounts you can follow," Denise www.inktreemarketing.com www.publishacookbook.com

#AdviceForSelfPublishers

I was reading a newsletter from publicist #MarshaFriedman, advising people about getting attention for their product. How do they do it? The answer is, they don't.

The best way to get attention to your product, and in the case of #selfpublishers their book, is to provide advice for people. Everyone has a problem that needs to be solved. If you can provide the solution to a common problem, let the media know that you can create a story for them.

If you need #helpwith your book, sign up with us at www.inktreemarketing.com. 

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#BookAwardForSmallPublishers

If you are a #small #publisher, consider entering your book into some award competition. I did. It felt great to be a winner and the sticker on the front cover was great for credibility and for publicity opportunities.

Book season is beginning. Here is a competition for you to consider:


http://www.hofferaward.com/

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#TalkRadioForBookPublicity

Don't discount the value of promoting your book on talk radio. Please read the newsletter below from #Marsha Friedman: 

Talk Radio's Still One of the Best Values for Publicity One of our clients, a financial advisor, recently had a great interview on a Sirius/XM talk radio show. His office got lots of calls from listeners afterward, and the show host did as well. They were both thrilled. It didn't surprise me. As a longtime talk radio fan and a host of talk shows for several years, I'm well aware of how radio listeners respond to a great guest with a relevant topic. Radio has held listeners enthralled for decades because it's such a unique media experience. I believe that being a guest on talk radio is still one of the most effective, affordable and convenient ways for a person promoting anything to gain visibility. But I am admittedly biased. So I asked Talkers magazine publisher Michael Harrison if he thinks the changing media landscape has affected the value of talk radio shows for people with a message to share. Talkers, dubbed "The Bible of Talk Radio" by Business Week Magazine, is the leading talk radio trade publication. Michael has been involved in radio for 30 years and founded Talkers in 1990. He replied emphatically. "Talk radio is a major platform for people seeking publicity because it literally puts your message right in the mind of the listener," Michael said. "Radio has a very dedicated audience, and they're paying attention. They are an active audience and a large audience. If you're trying to promote a brand, a product, a business, it's worth gold to be in front of them." Those who say talk radio is losing its vitality come from political circles, he says. "Talk radio has such a large political component, it gets caught in the crossfire of the intense political wars being waged in our country," he says. "They're trying to discredit the hosts and the ideologies with whom they disagree." I'm so happy to hear my favorite medium is not only surviving, but thriving. If you're thinking about gaining visibility through talk radio, here are a couple of tips to help you succeed: Don't position yourself as an author or executive.  Instead, position yourself as an expert on your topic or your industry. Sell only your depth of knowledge and your ability to help answer key questions about some aspect of your topic that may have been in the news recently. Someone who's researched and written about war, be it for a novel or non-fiction, might talk about the situation in Syria. A fitness expert can discuss the physiology of Diana Nyad's incredible swim from Cuba to Florida. Engage the host.  People are usually fans of particular shows because they're interested in what the host has to say, so if you can engage him, you will engage his audience. Talk candidly and openly about your topic and make sure your advice is honest as well as conversational. Don't worry about entertaining the listeners; focus on entertaining the host.  Don't sell.  Stay on topic during the interview, and always find a way to mention the free material on your website that could benefit the host's listeners.  If you give a great interview and offer helpful information, you don't have to worry about trying to "sell" your product or book. The host will do it for you.  If you've been putting off seeking publicity because you're confused about where your time and efforts will be best invested, consider talk radio. There are thousands of shows across the country, including many with niche audiences that might be perfect for your message.  And, you can speak to them from your home or office with barely an interruption in your work day. You'll reach people who are educated, have jobs, and are fairly evenly split between men and women (58 percent men to 42 percent women). As Michael says, "You've got to go where the people are, and with radio audiences, you'll find real people, real listeners and real issues."

Still tuned in, #Marsha

http://emsincorporated.com/


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com

#CompetitionForAuthors

This will be short and sweet. How many of you would enter a contest for authors - if you could win a publishing contract? 

Email me at dhamilton@inktreemarketing.com to reply.

Denise


www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com